Appropriate Disciplines

Course Description

There are two ways to participate in this live event, as either part of the live studio audience in Gulf Breeze, Florida or via live stream around the world. Live stream participants will receive instructions in the confirmation e-mail on how to access the event from their computer and interact with the instructor. Studio audience seats are limited - so register now! Please contact our office if you have any questions. 850-916-8886.
Course begins: 9:00 AM Central (10:00 AM Eastern; 8:00 AM Mountain; 7:00 AM Pacific)

Have you encountered a family who is struggling to feed their child? Perhaps the child only eats a few select foods or is unable to sit at the table peacefully. These challenges are global and unfortunately threaten, not only the child's nutritional well-being, but the relationship between caregiver and child. According to a recent publication in Pediatrics, Feb 2015, "Parents of young children worldwide are concerned about feeding difficulties". Feeding disorders are recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Addition (DSM-V) and it is concluded that eating a restricted number of foods or displaying a fear of eating is disordered and may have long standing health implications for those who suffer from such challenges. Seiverling et al. estimated up to eighty-nine percent of children with Austism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) exhibit problematic feeding and eating habits, including food hyper selectivity, food refusal and disruptive mealtime behaviors (2011). In this intermediate course, we will examine prevalent diagnosis associated with such feeding disturbances (ASD, neophobia, ARFID) and explore the underlying causes of selective eating in order to develop clinical treatment pathways. Areas of impact will be examined, and treatment solutions will be derived as we work as a team to assist our children and families navigate extreme food hyper-selectivity. Strategies to create peaceful mealtime experiences while increasing the child's comfort level with food will be discussed. Case studies and learning activities will be used to facilitate problem solving and global application of evidence-based intervention. Practitioners who serve children and families impacted by feeding challenges are encouraged to attend.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Define food hyper selectivity and identify the underlying cause of food aversion in children with hyper selectivity.

Identify 3 primary chalIlenges for children on the spectrum in regard to overall developmental and describe related effects on food enjoyment.

Define neophobia and ARFID and describe the primary underlying cause of these feeding disorders

Describe from the child’s viewpoint what emotions a new food may evoke.

Outline the three intervention phases for managing food hyper-selectivity

Develop a beginning understanding of family empowerment strategies for successful mealtimes verses traditional treatment techniques for children with hyper-selectivity.

Cuyler Romeo

M.O.T., OTR/L, SCFES, CLC

Cuyler Romeo, M.O.T., OTR/L, SCFES, CLC is a NICU trained feeding specialist who has been immersed in pediatric feeding, eating and swallowing since graduating from her Master’s program in 2003. She has extensive experience working with children with movement disorders and enjoys combining these areas of focus through a holistic approach to feeding intervention. She served in lead clinical roles in multiple treatment arenas including acute care, NICU, out-patient services, home health and private clinical care. Cuyler earned her specialty board certification in Feeding, Eating and Swallowing (SCFES) through AOTA in 2012 and is certified in TAMO®, Perception-Action Approach (PAA), VitalStim, GMA, infant massage (CIMI) and lactation (CLC). She serves as a founding board member for the Institute of Perception-Action Approach (IPAA) as Board Vice-President, the Arizona Member at Large for AzOTA and as the Feeding, Eating and Swallowing Forum Moderator on AOTA’s Developmental Disabilities Special Interest Section (DDSIS). She also serves on the AIMS Strategic Education committee for Feeding Matters promoting recognition of pediatric feeding disorders. Cuyler was a founding partner of Mealtime Connections, LLC, a pediatric feeding specialty clinic serving Southern Arizona. Currently she remains embedded in clinical care as the Director of Occupational Therapy and Strategic Initiatives at Mealtime Connections while promoting evidence-based intervention for our most fragile families through the development of clinical trainings and innovation education models through her LLC, Romeo Morgan Consulting.

Financial Disclosure: Cuyler receives honoraria from CIAO for the presentation of her live courses and royalties for the sale of her recorded courses. Cuyler receives a salary as the Director of Occupational Therapy and Strategic Initiatives at Mealtime Connections a pediatric feeding specialty clinic she founded. Cuyler receives consulting fees through her LLC, Romeo Morgan Consulting for the development of clinical trainings and innovation education models.

The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.

This course is offered for 0.4 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate level, Professional area)

CIAO is regognized on the NBCOT Provider Registry (meets PDU requirements for NBCOT)

Reviews

"I personally like the ability to take notes! The manual had room for this and the instructor facilitated this - which really helps engagement and my memory! "

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Dec 2018

"Great course. I thought is was a great short introduction but would be interested in your full course. Fascinating information and approach. "

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Dec 2018

"Great course! I really do think this could have been longer, though, maybe a full day at least :)"

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Dec 2018

"This course is outstanding. Thank you so much for having a live streaming opportunity. Without live streaming I wouldn't be able to attend. Excellent content and very useful today."

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Dec 2018

"Very interesting course. The presenter was amazing. Very engaging and articulate. I really enjoyed her presentation style. I look forward to applying/using/thinking about what I learned.
Thank you!"

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Dec 2018

"Great course. Have taken other intro to feeding courses and this has been the best so far. Cuyler speaks well and in a way that is procedural. I feel I have tools to begin entry into the feeding world."

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Dec 2018

"More videos on strategy implementation would be great, but course was very well managed and was quite informative! Thank you!"

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Dec 2018

"Excellent presentation style and knowledge base."

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Dec 2018

"Great course. Learned a lot. A longer course would be a good addition. "

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Dec 2018

"thoroughly enjoyed this course"

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Dec 2018

"Would love to Know the name of the longer course that was mentioned. This was very helpful. I have always struggled with how to keep kids engaged with exploring new foods without stressing them. This was a good start to giving me a new perspective and just how to change my clinical reasoning and practice to do that. "